The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-10-12
TIE Burring llsus Joined on the Adoption Of
Committees Report.
The Foreign Nisaicn's Board Net 8 Tribunal
to Define Orthodoxy.
The Prudential Committee Should Only
Find Out Whether Student ia Crank
Entertaining a Hypothesis.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass, October cat to-
days session OF the American Board of
Commissioners for Foreign Missions, the
committee or the Japan mission reported
and emphasized the danger during the
present crisis in that country of any one
Introducing unscriptural speculation. An
encouraging report was made on Missions
in Pspsl lsnds. A majority report of the
committee on the report of the home Sec
rotary was presented by Prot Bosrdman,
Of Chicago. Five of the six members of
tie committee constitute, the majority.
The report says the report under considera-
tiCn affords much encouragement to
friends of missions. Eighteen more mis-
sior aries have been appointed than the
az ersge lumber for the past twelve years.
The finances were not SO favorable as last
year. the Sweet and Otis funds having been
largely drawn upon to meet
deficiencies. The constitution of
the board requires that no part OF its funds
go to support error, and they reaffirm and
fall back upon the action taken last year at
Des Moines, sgainstthe doctrine OF future
probation. The committee deserves high
commendation for its faithfulness in this
part of lis work, as they have followed in
stIuctions. The statements made by re-
jected candidates amply Justify the decis-
ION. The board adheres TO its position a.
Des MONIES and accepts the action Of the
prudential committee. 1t recon- mends to
the committee to be careful to guard
against any approval Of the doctrine OF
future probation.
Prof. Fisher, in the minority re port took
issue IS 10 Mr.. Hume and the rejected
And0ver students. The home secretary"
he says, sis plainly defending himself and
the prudential committee, and so that
question becomes persODsl one. Facts
about the rejected students that would
modify the case, have be en- withheld. In
his zeal for putting down what he deemed
dangerous errors, he has suppressed the
facts and Usurptd authority. Attempts
have been made to use the board as
make-weight in theological controversy.
The board is not a tribunal to define ortho-
doxy. The churches have regular means
Of doing this"
The burning iesue was joined on the ques-
ton as TO which of these reports should be
adopted.
Professor Fisher spoke in favor of his re-
port. All the prudential committees
should do was he said, to ascertain, not 80
much what the idess of the candidate on
the speculative doctrines are, but what use
he will make of them; in short, to deter
mine that he ia not a "crank."
Prof. Bosrdman, of the Chicago Theolog
ical Seminary, said: "We are trying to
evsngelizs the world and We must do it
pOrtaDt one is the gospel. Let us see IL
our weapons are right ones. The idea that
we have nothing to do with
theology is preposterous. Now the
question is, will it be wise to introduce
this new theology to lie alongside that to
which we have been used? The two are
not consistent with each other, and the old
is better" DR.. Boardman then proceeded
to controvert the dogma of probation after
W. inn
hold that doctrine and not preach it,
Rev. DR.. Parker of Hartford, pleaded for
those who held the hypothesis-not the
doctrine-of future probation.
Rev. DR.. Taylor, of New York, argued
| the danger OF sending missionaries who en-
terrain this hypothesis. They cannot meet
the questions of the heather, for If their
ancestors might enjoy probation after
| death then, though dying IN SIN, they
were not condemned. The danger in
progress in theology was its movement IN
| the direction of more error.
Rev. DR.. Walker, of Hartford, said the
| doctrine under discussion was not new
one as was supposed; it dated from the
second century and was held by leading
| men Of England.
Rev. G. A. Gordon, of Boston, declared
that to adopt the majority report would
be to ALLEVIATE q large constituency. IL
would be hard to hold the great churches
to the support of the board.
| Rev. DR.. L. p. Goodwin, of Chicago, said
| that his selfrespect would not allow him
TO remain silent. ''Dr. Fisher calls me
crank by implication, when he says that
pre-millennialists should be excluded by
notice that no cranks need apply"
DIR. Fisher and others said DR.. Goodwin
was IN error as to what DR.. Fisher had
said.
Continuing DR.. Goodwin said that DR..
| Scudder, Moody, SpuTgeon and st. Paul
were on the same ground as to the second
coming of Christ. 81 thought year ago."
said he, I'VE had not come to the parting
of the WAYS l find difficulty with this
doctrine of q second probation, because 1t
is drawn, not from scripture, but from
Christian consciousness. / do not find 10
the Bible any respect for the philosophy of
men. Christ quoted Moses rather than
philosophy to support his teachings. SO
did st. Paul"
A number of other speeches were made.
Prof. Fishers amendment was lost, 43 to
| 90. President Seelyes' amendment, to the
effect that all the majority report except
the instructions as to doctrine, and requir-
ing them to so conduct the affairs of the
board as both to guard the board against
error, and also TO conserve the unity OF the
churches, was lost, 81 TO So. The majority
report was then adopted by reclamation.
The nominating committee presented two
reports, the minority making a special
point that DR.. Alden, Secretary, had made
mistakes and should be retired. This
brought out tributes to the worth of DR..
Alden, and the majority report was adopted
and the following officers elected: Presl-
dent, Richard S. Storrs, ID. D., LII. ID. ;
Vice. President, E. w. Blatchford; Pruden-
tial committee, Aug c. Thompson, ID. D., Ezra
Fsrnsworth. Hon. Joseph S. Ropes, Ed
win r. Webb, DID, Charles G. Burr, Esq ,
e. Terry, ESQ, Albert II. Plumb, DID,,
Hon. VIM. P. Ellison, Edwards s. Atwood
aud Rev. Charles A. Dickinson. Core.
spending Secretarys-Nathaniel @. Clark,
DID,, Edmund K. Alden, Judson Smith,
ID. Recording Secretary-Henry A.
Stimson. ID. d. Treasurer = Langdon 8.
Ward. Au6itors-A. W. Tufts, James NJ.
Gordon and Joseph G. Tyler.